Worn Down
by Alamorlan
Summary: A one-shot that may turn into a story. Contains events that have not YET happened in the current (as of 9/18/14) Shippuden manga. Spoiler alert for future chapters. A lonely hero finds himself walking through a hall of memory and dispair. He remembers everything about his horrid, war-torn life. Most of all, he remembers a light at the end of memory-lane.


**It's a one-shot again! Don't worry, It Can Get Better will have multiple chapters as soon as I can iron out a way to make it work... Anyway, this contains remnants of the story that HAVE NOT HAPPENED YET BUT WILL HAPPEN. Be warned, SPOILERS.**

As I dredge down a hallway filled with emptiness, I glance left and right at the passing images. A darkness rests in the invisible area upon the hallway's walls, leaving only picture-frames visible in the dimly lit, foggy atmosphere. A sloshing, wet sound echoes throughout the way whenever I pick my feet up or plant them down. The room is flooded up to my knees in a clear, cool fluid that I can only assume is water. I can faintly see my feet beneath the slowly flowing liquid. There is no ceiling, no visible floor, no texture to the walls. There is only the water, darkness, and the pictures hanging on the walls beside me. I stop when I reach a particular zone in the hallway, finally recognizing the picture before me.

I look down at the smoothly gliding liquid in remembrance of this photo's event. Images of the days I spent in the academy flash into and out of my mind. I remember being hated, ostracized for something that I had no idea about. I remember the looks of scorn and hatred on the faces of those that I passed in the streets. Most of all, I remember being ignored by everyone and everything around me. Not letting these thoughts deter me, I turned back to the path in the direction that I could only assume was ahead, and trudged on. The same, monochrome hallway stared back at me for the longest of times, before I finally reached another memorable moment.

I remember being tricked by a man blinded by hatred into stealing something of major importance. I remember the first person to ever truly acknowledge me nearly dying to protect me, and I remember how I hammered justice into the one responsible. I was assigned a duty that day to protect my fellow man, woman, and child. I remember waiting for my newest ally to take me, to teach me, and to make me safer. He was late. I remember pranking him in the most childish of ways, and how my fellow students criticized me for my weaknesses from then on. Letting the smallest, saddest of smiles seep into my lips, I turned, and once again moved forward.

Once again, I find myself staring into an abyss of darkness and isolation. I watch insignificant memories pass me by as I recall each one of them from the back of my mind, and I play them through my head. I know what is coming. I see myself and my allies being assigned to our first task of high difficulty. We make our way to the township that we were to help save. I remember meeting a kindred spirit, and his mentor. I remember a long, drawn out battle. I remember losing control of an old and chaotic power. I remember my mentor moving in for a final strike, and my third true precious person sacrificing himself for his mentor. I remember the sadness that came from this, and how I felt broken, unable to protect those close to me.

I remember taking an exam of sorts, later on. I remember considering failing the first part, and I remember going through a forest of darkness not unlike this hallway. I remember working to face an enemy of great power in the final part of the test. I remember the pseudo-war that took place during this exam. The fighting and yelling was so distracting. Memories flood in of my fight with a massive power, and making another, even more kindred spirit see my beliefs. Most of all, I remember losing the one who I had always seen as a grand-father. The sadness and sorrow that played through my mind at his funeral overtook my ability to notice the glares of hatred. For a moment, I felt sorry for feeling bad for myself. I feel the old feelings raise up from my heart. I feel that I should have been happy to have been alive.

Looking at the memory next to this, I see something that I remember greatly, more so than all save the previous. I remember leaving and finding a new leader for my home. I remember fighting an evil man with my newest mentor. I remember my brother and rival betraying me... betraying us. I remember trying so hard to get him back, but failing, just like everything else before.

Continuing down the endless hallway, I felt my heart drop at every old, painful memory. I felt sadness, sorrow, anger, desolation... Isolation. I remember my newer, more powerful teacher taking me on a trip to get ready for a larger event. I remember almost losing my kindred spirit to a group of vile human beings, but seeing the old generation sacrifice itself for the new. I remember the son of my grand-father being killed, and feeling guilty for not having seen his legacy to its fullest. I remember finishing a battle with the two who took him away. I remember the death of the evil man who took my grand-father away, and the fact that my rival was the one to kill him.

I remember being happy for a short time, and seeing sights that I find myself wishing I had taken in the first time. I remember all of this being destroyed when again a possible grand-father figure is taken from me by the vile group. I remember the leader of the group destroying my home, and my face-off with him. I remember a crude council member being appointed as the new leader for my home, and war being declared by the vile group.

I remember the homes of all of my fellow human sacrifices becoming an alliance of one and facing the putrid group. I drag my feet along the non-existing floor of the hallway, in tears by now from the long lost memories of a forgotten life. In passing, more memories fade into and out of my mind. I remember bonding with a great power inside of me, and facing the group that was after me. I remember facing the bodies of those that had died and were close to me, and my fellow sacrifices. I remember putting all of them back to rest, and forgetting most emotion for the battle ahead.

My feet are nearly refusing to move now, my mind not willing them enough. I feel heavy. I don't want to keep going, but there is a small light at the end of the hallway that is getting closer. Memories and pictures are beginning to blend into each-other in my tears, and in my mind. I don't want to relive these memories, but some unnatural will is keeping me moving through them. I notice that the light is growing, inch by inch.

I remember the man who the true leader of the vile group was posing as reviving from the dead, and receiving powerful eyes. I remember the man who took my grand-father away being revived, and losing the power inside of me to the group. I remember the defeat of the imposter, and fighting truly the strongest man that would ever come to be. I remember stopping the man in a battle that was surely the most taxing of my life. I remember my rival taking the powerful eyes for himself. I remember saving the powers of my fellow human sacrifices, but having my rival fight me for dominance. I remember his will to take over the world, and mine to save it. Finally, I remember a flash of electricity, and a blinding white light.

Then, I remember staring at the sky as my vision blurs, and thinking of how beautiful the sun was. I remember watching a light grow from the sun, and seeing the light encompass me entirely. I fall on my knees into the water below me, staring down at the "ground" and contemplating the last moments of the life that I once had. I had not stopped my rival, and he had finished my call for a world free from hatred.

"I... I've failed..." I let out a deep sob and close my eyes, resigning to my fate. When I open my eyes once more, I stand, and turn to the light.

Something is calling for me to step through. I drag my feet through the opening of the light, only to find blank darkness through its threshold. Once again, I fall to my knees. This is what death is like... and I had failed to stop it for so many people. I note with a shock the feeling of a hand placing itself upon my head, and a warm, godly sensation coursing through my pseudo-body.

"My child... You have not failed. You have learned. Now, it is time for you to start over and try again. Go now, take with you the knowledge of what will not be next time." I feel a flash of heat over my body, and see a white flash of light.

I notice a red-haired woman laying next to me, and brushing away my hair and staring at me with motherly love. I hear her coo and apologize for what is to come. I feel a rumble, and hear a roar from a quite memorable red, fox-like creature.

I remember walking through a hallway full of memories. I remember crying as I watched those memories unfold. I remember losing my will, and seeing a faint white light. I remember all of the pain of a lifetime.

...

...

...

But most of all... I remember stepping through a doorway of light, having a hand placed upon my head, and hearing a godlike voice in my ear.


End file.
